Inugami
by RideOnShootingStar
Summary: Preceding the Great Dog's death, the Son, Sesshoumaru, is left as the god of the land with the Brother, InuYasha, to rear on his own despite being disinclined to do so. It is Sesshoumaru's responsibility to keep the Pack seperate from Humankind; however, InuYasha's increasing despire for Human acceptance creates a jeopardous obstacle.


It was ages ago, _many_ ages ago, before Humankind had ever ventured to that part of Japan.

There was a great dog demon - a great warrior and ruler - who made his home in the mountains and watched over the forest. He fought fiercely to protect his land; so fiercely, in fact, that the ground would tremble and the ocean's waves surge, and destruction would commence on the land that he loved. After the war, peace would flourish in place of new growth, new beauty. New Life.

He had a young son whom he taught to protect the land, and abolish intruders whose intent was impure. His son listened and abided, as a good son would. Although, bewilderment arose when mankind eventually began to tread on the land, creating a home for himself using the forest unwittingly.

The hounds watched, carefully, and the Great Dog warned man not to take more than he need, or disgrace the land; or he would vanish as quickly as he came. The Son was curious as to why his Father was so intrigued by the lowly kind, and inquired as to why man could not be done away with now, so as to stop problems before they started. The Great Dog smiled, but did not reply. The Son never got the answer he sought.

Soon, there was New Life, a Human baby born; who the Son learned was his Brother.

 _Protect him, with all that you have._

The Great Dog died, forthwith.

The Human baby, the Brother, was shunned by the Humans. It was the Son's duty to take him, and raise him, though his attitude was resentful.

 _He is weak. He is slow. It would be better overall to just end him now, as his arrival ended Father._

 _While this is true, his death would forsake Father's death in vain._

The Son taught the Brother of their kind. He reared him to be another hound in the Pack. He taught him that the Humans were corrupt, and were to be avoided at all costs – any complying interaction with a Human would cause instant abandonment from the Pack. The Humans were to tend to the Pack as gods, but only through sacrifice of their crops, gold and more to a statute deity in the forest. Any Humans found in the forest after the sunset were to be annihilated; their souls reaped and devoured whole. In return for their obeisance, the Son would maintain the sanctity of his land, as the Great Dog did before him.

The Brother, InuYasha, was a curious lad when it came to the Humans. He often watched in shadows as they lived; played; worked. After all, half of him craved the knowledge and acceptance of his other race. The thought of banishment did not create any fear within him.

Sesshoumaru warned young InuYasha; _if you are ever even seen by a Human, I will disown you. You will be left to walk this earth alone._

"Humankind poses as a danger to us all. They killed our Father, the Great Dog. He left his guard down near them, and was betrayed in return. They are weak in stature, but strong with their psyche and duplicity. It just takes you to turn your back once, and you leave an opportunity for them to cease your life, and create permeability to the Pack. We are gods to be feared; revered; unseen…

"I will not hesitate to leave you behind, InuYasha."

"I understand."

The Son led the Pack to the mountains, where a territorial battle commenced.

The sky became dark prematurely, emanating thunderous roars that paralleled the booms of godlike paws, trampling stone and earth on the highlands. The ground quaked and created fractured at each fallen hound. Sesshoumaru was a warrior comparable to even the Great Dog; he was raised to become the most ferocious opponent during combat in order to aid his Father and supersede him in the event of his death. No foe would be able to defeat him, though from time to time, they would try.

The wind gusted, ripping branches from trees, scattering them amongst the forest. Waves of the ocean swelled from the earthquakes, flooding the coastal region. The water was treacherous and forbidding, demolishing any creation in its path, swallowing many hounds engaged in battle whole with without caveat. A storm such as this could be percieved as apocalyptic.

InuYasha remained still, resting at the largest shrine that was crafted for their kind. Though InuYasha also possessed impressive power, it was not enough to fight a war against those with pure blood. He ran his claws through his lustrous silver hair. Older Brother would have chastised him for choosing such a public place to sit, but with the destruction of battle and the enormous storm, InuYasha figured no Human would be heading to pray or offer to the Shrine any time soon.

"I leave you this offering," A soft voice said near the foot of the shrine. InuYasha's canine ears perked, startled. Her voice was heavenly, though it was nearly inaudible through the storm's commotion. "Please, keep our village safe, Great Forest Keeper."

InuYasha stood and peered over the shrine to see the woman, dressed in traditional priestess clothing, running back towards the village, pelted by rain. She had left a neatly woven bail of rice at the base of the statue. He hopped down and examined the bail in his hands, and stared on as her figure shrank into the distance.

There was a crack above, anteceding a huge flash of lightning; at that moment, the young woman turned to glance behind to the Shrine as she ran, and caught glimpse of a creature resembling a man, who was holding her offering. His image was gone in the blink of an eye.

"Such beauty," InuYasha marveled, now high in the tree overhead. The tree shook and creaked from the surrounding wind, though he was still on his sturdy branch. "I will make sure to do whatever it is I must to keep you safe, and happy."

The following morning, the storm subsided - the battle had been won. With the coming sun, the dawn sky shone brightly; colours of sapphire, meringue, muted with rose. The clouds seemed to disperse along the trail the Son Sesshoumaru traveled as he returned to the Shrine. His footsteps silently brought life to the forest's growth, which met its demise from battle's ramifications.

The power of Gods were so immense, that any movement resulted in consequences on the land around them. A simple wave of an arm could bring good fortune, or death.

He was a gentle, bright being. Admired, but feared. The likeness of perfection and true beauty, though mortal eyes had never beheld. Powerful. Indestructible. Present to witness all sights and sounds at all times on the land that was his. The Son Sesshoumaru was unknown to nothing, and nothing was unknown to him.

The villagers overflowed with joy; despite the storm that brought torrential damage to their village and everything surrounding, there were no deaths. Their crops surprisingly remained rooted, leaving only a small amount inedible. Most homes remained intact. Truly, this was a miracle from the gods.

The Shrine became loaded with small gifts of appreciation and prayers. Many Humans bid their thanks throughout the day hours, where they were allowed access into the forest. The Brothers watched upon them at a distance.

"You used the little power you had to protect them from the destruction of the battle."

InuYasha nodded.

"Why?"

He did not answer.

"Idiot," Sesshoumaru struck him with the backside of his hand. InuYasha clutched his stinging face until it numbed. "We owe them nothing. Just let them die, if that is what comes of it."

"We had an offering. She begged us," InuYasha said quietly. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed towards him.

"I don't care for their offerings at all," He snapped his fingers and a group of hounds, resembling an enormous cloud of dust to the untrained eye dashed past the Shrine, whisking the offerings away into the air and trees, destroying them as they fell; Humankind could not see any menial spirits, as their vision could not penetrate the dimension in which they traveled in. "They show their appreciation and grovel before me, and I will let them live - their mortal possessions mean nothing to me. I simply cannot wait for the day that Humankind fawns on us no longer, so that I may destroy each and every one of them."

InuYasha watched as the Humans bowed on their knees, scraping together the bit of food and flowers that were tangible to place them back at the foot of the Shrine. His expression was sympathetic, but longing.

"Look at you," Sesshoumaru spat with disgust. "How I wish you were one of them so I wouldn't have to drag you along at my side. Humans don't feel for you; they wanted your death when you were merely an infant. They are pathetic, yet vile lowly beings."

"Father found love for them," His response sent a shiver down Sesshoumaru's spine.

"And they killed him with little remorse," The Son stood, fists clenched. "I would say you would do me a favor by going to join them yourself. They would finish you nice and quick. I would kill you myself if it were not Father's last orders to protect you with my life. His image will never be in vain." And he was gone.


End file.
